Whole lot of stuff

I found a nice little nugget of a website the other day that is the dating mecca. This amazing little guy is called www.onlinedatingmagazine.com.

Many of your everyday dating questions can be answered on ODM, and they even provide many interesting articles for your benefit.

I was not very impressed by the overall appearance of the site, but it has a ton of information. Everything from dating humor to dating services can be found on this site.

With anything in life, you should not get your information from just one source. Dating is a major topic that you should discover different avenues for all of you "help me!" questions.

Is it written in the stars?

Many of us have to go check our horoscopes everyday to see what the day may hold. Astrology is really interesting and sometimes very helpful. A lot of people do not believe in astrology, but sometimes, its just fun to look at.

I love astrology and find it very interesting. Not only that but at times, I feel like my horoscope is speaking directly to me. The zodiac all has to do with your date of birth and that is how you define which sign you are.

When it comes to dating, astrology can be really helpful. You can see what sign your sign is most compatible with by taking a closer look at the zodiac. This all may sound a little strange, but honestly it may frighten you how accurate it is.

If you don't normally look at horoscopes and don't really know that much about astrology, check out:
www.tarot.com

This site will teach you everything you need to know about astrology!

One stop shop

We women love convenience. The easier, is the better for us. Lets say you are running extremely late and have a date that evening. The mall needs a great deal of time and devotion, and there's no way that you could possibly make the date on time. Target to the rescue!

Target is an amazing department store that can service all of your date requirements. You can find a trendy outfit to where, and all the accessories to go with it. Not only that, but you can also get the makeup you need and the perfect shoes to top it off for a decent price.

The only downfall to this store is that you always wind up buying more stuff than you actually needed.

Check out the site:

www. target.com

Yes! That has happened to me before!

We watch television to sometimes escape from reality. Then a wonderful thing called reality television came along and changed up everything. Many times, we try and find shows that we can identify with on a personal level. One such show for most young females to watch and relate to is The Hills on MTV.

The Hills is a reality television show that follows the lives of a group of young twenty-something women in Los Angeles, California. These girls go through dates, friends, and betrayals together all for our viewing pleasure. I have been watching the show since its beginning and am a die hard fan.

What connects The Hills to its viewers is the fact that although these gorgeous rich girls seem to have everything, they still encounter the same problems every girl faces with dating. You watch the show and instantly relate the girls to your own group of friends and your own relationships. Sometimes, its easier to learn from other people's mistakes and The Hills shows us what we may be doing wrong in the love department.

Watch The Hills at 10pm on Monday on MTV.

Better safe than sorry.....

Okay kids, this is life and things happen, so you want to be prepared for when they do. When you start dating someone, you want to be ready for when things could go to the next level.

Yes, I'm talking about sex. You never know when things are going to get kicked into high gear and the birds and the bees start swarming.

Contraceptives are things that you need to consider when you begin to become intimate with someone. Preparation is key when it comes to intimacy.

Before you go out on your date, throw a few condoms in your purse or wallet. Girls, even though it may seem like a guy thing to do, you'd rather be safe than sorry.

Here's a few websites that could help you learn more about contraception:

www.contraceptiononline.org/

http://www.healthywomen.org/

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/

Trick or Treat!

Ghosts, witches, goblins......Yep its Halloween! This holiday is especially fun for all of you single people out there, and even for couples.

I personally love to celebrate holidays for more than one day. Halloween is a great holiday to drag out for a week.

Whether its with a group of friends, or with a significant other, here are some fun ways to celebrate Halloween:

1. Carve pumpkins


2. Watch scary movies


3. Go to a haunted house


4. Bake a pumpkin pie or pumpkin seeds (you know, the ones you got from the pumpkin you carved)


5. Come up with creative costumes


6. Go to a Halloween party at a bar or club


7. Pig out on candy

Do I have to?

Okay, so Joe Mama really wants to hang out with you tonight. Here's the problem: The thought of changing into a hot outfit makes you physically sick. If you continually back out on dates, he's not going to keep calling you.

So this is what you do: Settle for something low-key like going to a Starbucks to get a cup of coffee. This is the type of place where it is completely acceptable to show up in sweatpants and a hoodie. Guys like when they see that a girl can still be sexy dressed down.

In my opinion, Starbucks carries the best coffee and also has a variety of caffeine-free drinks. It also always has great music playing and has a very relaxing atmosphere. Starbucks is a great place for two people to get to know one another.

Some drinks to try:

• Caramel Macchiato


• Pumpkin Spice Latte


• Strawberries and Cream Frappachino


• Hot Apple Cider


• Cinnamon Dolce Latte

Check out the website: http://www.starbucks.com/

Donkey or Elephant?

As election day draws closer, the topic of politics is on the minds of every American. This may even include the person that you are out on a date with.

Let's say that politics some how comes up and the two of you have different party affiliations. At this point on the date, you quietly start to freak out.

In order for the conversation to keep calm and not escalate into a heated political debate, there are some things to remember:

• Everybody is entitled to their own opinion.


• Not everybody was brought up the same way.


• Do not argue if you do not agree with what he/she is saying.


• Try not to make your views sound like the only way of life.

Politics is an extremely important and interesting topic. Its okay for you and your date to discuss politics, just keep in mind my helpful hints so you get a second date.

To learn more about the two presidential candidates, check out their websites:

http://www.johnmccain.com/

http://www.barackobama.com/

This is my new bible!

Move over Cosmo and step back other dating books, the men are here to tell us what to do. I stumbled upon what she be every women's bible and that is http://www.askmen.com/. This might be the perfect way for us women to get inside the man's head.

The site itself has things for both men and women. With articles on everything from sports to dating commandments for guys, this website is a very useful tool for both sexes. When first looking at it, you get a very masculine feel. Yes ladies, of course they have pictures of girls in bikinis! They have to get their male viewers attention somehow.

All subject areas are covered on this site and the articles are also very entertaining. One that really stuck out to me was the article dating commandments to all men. I recommend going to read this article especially because it could save you so much grief when it comes to trying to figure those boys out.

He seems normal on his Facebook profile

Facebook and Myspace has revolutionized the way my generation goes about their everyday lives. I can not do anything for the day until I check my Facebook page. Sad as this may seem, most of the people I am in contact with are the same exact way. These two networking sites have also brought couples together. Like all Internet dating, you have to be extremely careful. I made this mistake when I was in high school when I met somebody on AOL.

I was a freshman in high school and I was just on AOL on night. I received a random instant message from a screen name I did not recognize. We began to chat and sure enough, he was my age and lived around me. The next day, we decided to meet at the mall by both of us. I ended up going to the mall with my family, and walked away from them with my friend. As I was away from my family, this creepy looking kid came toward me and it ended up being the guy from the Internet. I talked for a minute and then said I had to go. SO SCARY!

From that point on, I realized that Internet love was a little creepy and not something I was into. Then came Facebook..... My freshman year of college this guy sent me a message saying that he thought I was attractive and that he thought him and I had a bunch in common. He was cute in his pictures and I decided to meet him at the Starbucks on campus. (NOTE: Always meet someone at a public place) We met and hit it off and ended up being a little fling for awhile.

The point I am trying to get at with this blog is that you need to be careful when it comes to the Internet. You never know what kind of people are out there....

Word to all men

I have usually given all of my handy advice to all of my female sisters out there. Today, you men get a little lesson when it comes to women. I know that we can be hard to read, but when it comes to movies we are easy.

If you want to invite a girl over to watch a movie, there are certain things you should always remember when it comes to choosing what to watch. The movie can either make or break your whole evening together. Girls will react in certain ways depending on what genre of movie you put on.

Romance: She will be attached to your hip and mushy for the rest of the night.

Comedy: Your chicky will probably act normal, but also laugh at every joke you make.

Horror: She will be screaming the whole movie and grabbing on to you. This could work out in your favor because she probably will not want to sleep alone that night :).

Mystery: You'll spend the whole night talking.

Musical: She'll be singing around the house and you will probably want to put in ear plugs.

You pick!

Let's say that you and your dat do not have a set place to go have dinner. He doesn't want to pick and neither do you, so the two of just drive around. One restaurant will make both of you happy and that is Cheesecake Factory.

This restaurant has a menu that is almost as long as a small novel about food. I have been to Cheesecake Factory a great many times and hae never left unhappy. The price varies depending on what you order. The food is amazing and they carry everything from Italian to Chinese.

The only problem with the place is that it can get very loud in there. My date and I had this problem two weeks ago when I literally had to scream across the table to him. Just make sure you always get a booth and always get dessert!

Recommendations:

• Crab wontons


• Chicken Madeira


• Pasta Da Vinci


• Crusted Chicken Romano

Let's play a games :)

I have gone on many road trips and have figured out many ways to entertain myself. The game "I Spy" doesn't exactly cut it, so you have to get more creative. What does this have to do with dating? Well one such car game is a great way for you and your date to get to know each other. The game: 20 Questions. The rules: Answer each question honestly.

Here's an example round of some questions you might ask:

1. What's your favorite cereal?
2. What is your dream job?
3. Where would you most like to live?
4. What's your favorite kind of car?
5. What's your favorite TV show?
6. Whats your favorite color?
7. What's your biggest fear?
8. Who is your dream girl/guy?
9. What's your favorite food?
10. What's your favorite movie?
11. What's your political party?
12. How many kids do you want?
13. Who is your favorite actor/actress?
14. What's your favorite animal?
15. Where did you grow up?
16. What's your favorite candy?
17. What's your favorite sport?
18. What's your favorite drink?
19. What's your favorite childhood toy?
20. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Can't stand how much I love you

So far in my blog, I have focused on helping all the single gals out there. The truth is, committed couples need some help too. Let's say you have been in a committed relationship for awhile now, and you are at a point where you are bored. Encouragement helps people in any situation, even struggling couples. One book will help you realize just how much you appreciate your partner and that is Couplehood by Paul Reiser. This book is absolutely hilarious and will make you wish you have someone if you are single. Reiser talks about all the silly stuff couples do and how much silly stuff can get on each other's nerves.

He talks about everything from:

• Eating habits
• Driving together
• Telling stories
• Showering together
• Working out

And everything in between.

Watch and learn.......

Television can keep our attention for hours upon end. People can literally plop on the couch with some snacks and watch the tube all day long. We've all had those days where getting out of bed just isn't going to happen. If this is the case, you should prepare be renting seasons of the hit TV show Sex and the City. Starring Sarah Jessica Parker, this show answers all of those relationship questions that most of us ask ourselves. Based in New York City, this show follows the lives of four very different friends and the relationships they go through. One of the four, Carrie Bradshaw (Parker), writes a column in a newspaper where she asks and answers all those questions all of us females think of. Sex, dating, and love are all areas Bradshaw covers in her column as shes endures them in her life. There's sex, there's love, and there's the city; all characteristics of a good show.

And the lived happily ever after :)

Oh how we women love romance.....Everything from Prince Charming to the Knight in Shining Armor will make our hearts absolutely melt. I absolutely love to watch and read anything with romance involved. One author has led the pack when it comes to romance novels, and that is Danielle Steel. Her books have everything from love and sex, to suspense and mystery. A few of Steel's novels have even been turned into Lifetime Movies that makes her words come to life. I have read a great many of her books and two of my favorites are Jewels and Message from Nam. On one of those nights where you just want to stay home, grab one of her books. Pour a glass of wine, get some pajamas on, curl up in a blanket, and get carried away with some good, old-fashion romance.

In my opinion........

The main problem with most women is that we lack self-confidence. Whether we think we are too fat, too flat, or just hate ourselves in general; our self esteem affects our relationships. Nobody wants to be around a "Debbie Downer", especially when out on a date. As hard as it may be for you to act confident, you need to in order to have a successful night out. NOTE: Confident does not mean cocky.

Being cool, calm, and collected will give you success in any circumstance. In my experience with dating and with watching other relationships, there is a certain code of conduct that is most effective with dating.

On the date:

• Smile :) it makes you and the other person more comfortable
• Try to avoid awkward silences
• Be a good listener, he likes when you act really interested
• Don't over-analyze everything, go with the flow
• Do not put yourself down at all
• Don't go on and on about your past relationships; you can't start a new chapter if you are still stick in the last one.

What am I doing wrong?

So many people have great relationships, that out of nowhere, end. Out of the blue, he'll call you and give that whole "it's not you, it's me" speech and you're left confused. If this is a common occurrence happening with you and your "significant others", it just might be you causing the breakup. Sometimes little things we do can irritate somebody to the point where they are ready to bailout.

The movie How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days is a perfect example of how the little things a girl does, can drive a man crazy. Starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey, the movie is about a journalist (Hudson) who is writing a story on how a girl can lose a guy in ten days. Hudson starts to do all of the wrong things a girl does in a relationship to ruin it.

Here's some of what she does to aggravate him:

• Calling a million times a day



• Being needy



• Putting girl stuff in his place



• Causing fights between him and other guys



• Not giving him space



• Making him do everything you want to do